Shane Lowry holds two-shot lead after day three of US Open
By Keith Jackson - @KeithDJackson
Last Updated: 19/06/16 1:37pm
Shane Lowry will take a two-shot lead into the final day of the US Open after a pulsating Saturday in which five players enjoyed the lead during the curtailed third round.
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Lowry is two shots clear of the field on five under with four holes of his third round to complete early on Sunday morning after a superb birdie blitz on the front nine at Oakmont Country Club.
The top seven players on the leaderboard are well placed to record their maiden major victories, with Branden Grace currently holding the clubhouse lead on one under after an outstanding 66.
Jason Day made the first significant move of the third round as he reeled off four birdies in five holes after starting at the 10th, and he responded to his first bogey of the round at the third with a superb eagle at the fourth.
He dropped another shot at seven and parred in to complete a 66 to close on one over, two adrift of clubhouse leader Grace as the South African continued to prove a threat on tough courses.
Grace, who went close to glory at Chambers Bay last year, mounted a charge with three bogeys in five holes around the turn and, after a couple of mistakes on the back nine, he picked up further shots at 16 and 18 to post a 66 and set the target for the leaders at one under.
But the battle for the outright lead remained an enthralling one throughout the evening, with Lowry ending the day two clear as he backed up his sublime iron-play with a rock-solid touch on the greens.
Lowry made an uncertain start with a bogey at the second, but he birdied the fourth, sixth and seventh and hit back from a bogey at eight with his fourth birdie of an outward 33 at the ninth.
The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational champion then stiffed his approach to the 12th to get to five under, and he will return to the 15th tee in high spirits at 7am local time on Sunday.
"I said to my dad on the way in here, I definitely felt very comfortable out there," Lowry said.
"I knew the putt I had on seven was to take the lead on my own, which is, you know, it's nice. So I'm quite aware of what's going on around me.
"But yes, my game is good. I feel very comfortable out there. Quite happy that we didn't have another four holes to play. It's been a long day. So looking forward to getting out there tomorrow. This is right where you want to be. Really looking forward to tomorrow."
Andrew Landry is alone in second on three under as he continued to defy the doubters who predicted he would plummet down the leaderboard despite his opening 66.
The world No 624 ground out six opening pars before earning a share of the lead with a birdie at the seventh, but a tugged approach into a dreadful lie in the rough at the ninth left him with little chance to save par.
But he steadied himself with another four pars in succession before darkness descended and is clearly relishing being in the final group in the third round of his maiden major appearance.
"I think I did a really good job out there. No nerves, very comfortable," he said.
"We had a good group. We had lots of fun out there. It was hard to make birdies out there. I'm just trying to hit a bunch of greens and just give myself a lot of opportunities."
Sergio Garcia responded to a bogey at the first with back-to-back birdies at five and six, although he dropped another shot at the ninth and then missed a series of makeable birdie chances as the light faded.
Dustin Johnson hinted at running away from the field when he knocked his second to five feet at the first and nailed the putt, but he came up short with his approach at the third and then duffed a chip as he ran up a double-bogey six.
The halfway leader offset a birdie at the fourth with another bogey at the 197-yard sixth after he flew the green with a seven-iron, and another shot went at the 10th.
Johnson shares third with Garcia and Lee Westwood, who missed a short birdie putt at the first before atoning at the second, only to make a mess of the long fourth and take six before producing the shot of the day at the next - holing a 130-yard wedge for a thrilling eagle
"I'm giving myself opportunities," Johnson said at the close of play.
"I feel like I'm hitting my putts on my line with the correct speed. So at some point, they will start to go in. Hopefully, that's tomorrow.
"I'd rather finish. We have to come out, be in position at 7pm. It's a short night and who knows what time we'll tee off in the afternoon."
Westwood erred again at the seventh and got the shot back at the ninth, but his composure deserted him as he bogeyed the 10th and 12th - his second six of the round - although a nice putt for birdie at the 14th got him back under the card for the round.
But it was a bad evening for Westwood's compatriot Andy Sullivan, who was one off the lead after birdies at the fourth and sixth before he went crashing down the leaderboard with a horrific run of five consecutive bogeys which left him at three over par.
Meanwhile, defending champion Jordan Spieth sent the crowds into raptures with three straight birdies early on, but he could not build on his flying start and struggled to a 70 - four over for the tournament.
Live third round coverage continues on Sunday at 12pm on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf
